African peoples are outside the American class system. Generally, when classes are alluded to—upper class, middle class, working class—they usually exclude blacks. Indeed blacks seem to have their own criteria regarding class stratification of blacks which do not conform to the classification of the society in general. (Members of a small black professional class who work primarily for corporate America and the military are hardly representative of Black America).

The outcaste status of blacks within the American society has led to comparisons with the Dalits of India who are outside the main caste system of India. Like the Dalits, Blacks have been stereotyped as mentally and morally inferior, and like the Dalits this stigma is genetic and can be transmitted. Many blacks have internalized the stereotypical view of themselves. This poses a dilemma in the light of the fact that blacks have been Christianized for more than four Centuries.

Discussion:

Who are the Dalits of India? Is there a valid argument regarding commonalities between the Dalits of India, and Blacks in the Americas? Do you think that there is justification for the perception of blacks as morally and mentally inferior?

Christianity is often projected as a religion that instituted high moral ideals but its history hardly reflects this as a reality. How is it that Blacks have been Christianized for more than four hundred years and yet Blacks are perceived as mentally and morally inferior?

Is it possible to have moral values without religion?

Additional Readings:

Bell, Derrick, And We Are Not Saved : The Elusive Quest of Racial Justice, New York, NY: Basic Books, 1987

--------------, Faces at the Bottom of the Well: The Permanence of Racism, New York, NY: Basic Books, 1992

Gulf Between Precept and Practice?: A Brief History of the Christian Religion

Chapters 4-6

In response to the critique of Christianity as a European dominated religion, several black theologians have promulgated theologies, such as, Jesus is Black. There is also the view that there is a pristine Christianity that Europeans do not practice, but how this religious practice passed through two thousand years unfiltered no one can explain. Religion is fundamentally a product of culture, and to understand the impact of Christianity and African people one has to explore the development of European culture over two millennia through Europe’s many wars of conquest on its own people and conquered nations worldwide including the ravaging of the African continent.

Discussion: Is there a gulf between a pristine Christianity and a Christianity that was passed down to us?

The Caribbean emerged in a culture of violence under the various colonial powers—a violence that has persisted over the centuries through inherited and imposed legal codes, and social organization. In many of these islands, systematic genocide was perpetuated on indigenous populations. The Slave Trade, slavery, and a brutal system of colonialism were the lot of the majority of peoples in the Caribbean. Psychological force was also implemented based to a large extent on a color coded system that dehumanized the majority of African peoples.

Discussion:

Very little of the suffering of Caribbean peoples due, to a large extent, to the vast inequity in wealth linked to skin color coding is portrayed in advertisements that lure tourists to glistening white sands and clear blue waters.

Phase II of Colonial Exploitation: Tourism and the Further Underdevelopment of the Caribbean

What role do the churches play in the economies and social systems of the islands?

Additional Readings:

Beckford, George, Persistent Poverty: Underdevelopment in Plantation Economies of the

Third World, New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1972

-----------,---------, and Michael Witter, SmallGarden, Bitter Weed: The Political Economy of Struggle and Change in Jamaica, Maroon Publishing House, 1982

Fanon, Frantz, The Wretched of the Earth, translated from the French by Constance Farrington, New York, NY: Grove Press, 1963.

For four hundred years Caribbean peoples, such as the Maroons and the Rastafarians, have sought to resist colonial oppression. Resistance has always been met with counter repression by politicians, religious, and other civic leaders. The way forward in creating new social relations is through humanistic reform by teaching the history of struggle and greater avenues for greater participation amongst local peoples.

Discussion:

Why and how have Caribbean people resisted European hegemony? What have been the counter measures to resistance?

How is it that almost every denomination is represented in the Caribbean, and yet crime and poverty abound in these islands?

Where do we go from here? : Towards Developing a Framework for Critical thinking: Humanist values for a new Millennium

Chapters 13-14

Within the Christian religion which pervades black culture and community, black history and culture are marginalized. The marginalization of black history and culture are salient to the inhibition of black critical thought which is fundamental to the oppression of blacks. To execute radical change there is the need for not only knowledge of black history and culture, but institutions that promote the heritage of African peoples including the struggle for economic, social, and mental liberation. Just as how other groups find within their history and culture principles and ethics so blacks can find within their history and culture principle and ethics for daily living and guidance. Indeed not to do so can only lead to atomization, dissonance, and despair.

Discussion:

Is knowledge of history and culture effective in bringing about changes?

Do we need black institutions that promote critical thinking?

What contribution can blacks make towards the liberation of all peoples?